ILO · Youth Unemployment Rate
Youth unemployment rate by country
What share of young people in the labour force are out of work?
Of the 182 countries compared in 2025, Niger had the lowest reading, 0.457%, and Djibouti had the highest reading, 76.766%. In the middle country the figure was 12.830%. Among the 182 countries measured in every edition since 1991, the middle one moved from 11.382% to 12.830%.
Share
Part ofWork & Labour
Youth unemployment rate · 2025
Context statistic
Lowest of 182Niger
0.457%012025 · position · derived
Who leads
The three countries at the lowest end of 182 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.
1Photo: File: Jacques Taberlet derivative work: Lkcl it · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2Photo: Haakon S. Krohn derivative work: JamesA · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Photo: Chris · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Highest in 2025
Djibouti76.766%
South Africa59.930%
Eswatini54.329%
Where a country sits says how it compares with the others measured, and nothing about why.
02Every measured country
Youth unemployment rate on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a lower value — the better end.
- 21.900–76.766%
- 15.208–21.882%
- 10.086–15.058%
- 6.451–10.023%
- 0.457–6.438%
- No reading in 2025 (5 measured in an earlier edition)
- Africa
10.241%
the middle country, of 51 measured · 55 members
Niger0.457%Djibouti76.766%Lowest and highest reading in Africa.
- Asia
11.546%
the middle country, of 48 measured · 52 members
Qatar0.559%
Jordan38.876%Lowest and highest reading in Asia.
- Oceania
12.977%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 21 members
Solomon Islands2.759%
French Polynesia36.566%Lowest and highest reading in Oceania.
- Americas
13.981%
the middle country, of 33 measured · 48 members
Cuba4.277%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines41.947%Lowest and highest reading in Americas.
- Europe
14.205%
the middle country, of 39 measured · 49 members
Moldova4.197%
North Macedonia28.750%Lowest and highest reading in Europe.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, lowest middle country first
- Western Africa
3.944%
the middle country, of 16 measured · 16 members
Niger0.457%
Cabo Verde28.415%Lowest and highest reading in Western Africa.
- South-eastern Asia
6.781%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 11 members
Cambodia0.711%
Brunei18.230%Lowest and highest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Eastern Asia
7.899%
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
Japan3.898%
China15.795%Lowest and highest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Central America
9.035%
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Guatemala4.764%
Costa Rica19.949%Lowest and highest reading in Central America.
- Central Asia
10.023%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Kazakhstan3.806%
Tajikistan14.594%Lowest and highest reading in Central Asia.
- Middle Africa
10.086%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Chad1.457%
Republic of the Congo40.501%Lowest and highest reading in Middle Africa.
- Eastern Europe
10.152%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 10 members
Moldova4.197%
Romania24.544%Lowest and highest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Eastern Africa
10.356%
the middle country, of 16 measured · 19 members
Burundi1.678%Djibouti76.766%Lowest and highest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Western Europe
10.998%
the middle country, of 7 measured · 9 members
Germany6.862%
Luxembourg21.467%Lowest and highest reading in Western Europe.
- Melanesia
11.343%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Solomon Islands2.759%
New Caledonia33.109%Lowest and highest reading in Melanesia.
- Northern Europe
13.756%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 13 members
Iceland8.671%
Sweden24.312%Lowest and highest reading in Northern Europe.
- Western Asia
14.471%
the middle country, of 16 measured · 19 members
Qatar0.559%Jordan38.876%Lowest and highest reading in Western Asia.
- South America
15.817%
the middle country, of 12 measured · 12 members
Bolivia5.013%
Suriname25.438%Lowest and highest reading in South America.
- Southern Asia
16.785%
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Bangladesh9.385%
Iran21.900%Lowest and highest reading in Southern Asia.
- Caribbean
18.479%
the middle country, of 11 measured · 24 members
Cuba4.277%Saint Vincent and the Grenadines41.947%Lowest and highest reading in Caribbean.
- Southern Europe
21.158%
the middle country, of 12 measured · 17 members
Malta8.431%North Macedonia28.750%Lowest and highest reading in Southern Europe.
- Northern Africa
29.444%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 6 members
Egypt18.293%
Libya50.057%Lowest and highest reading in Northern Africa.
- Southern Africa
46.004%
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Lesotho24.672%South Africa59.930%Lowest and highest reading in Southern Africa.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
Australia9.610%
New Zealand14.355%Lowest and highest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Micronesia
1 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Guam.
Guam13.813%Lowest and highest reading in Micronesia.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
United States9.340%
Canada13.800%Lowest and highest reading in Northern America.
- Polynesia
3 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga.
Tonga6.029%French Polynesia36.566%Lowest and highest reading in Polynesia.
03The whole field at once
The spread
182 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 12.830%; a quarter are above 20.244%, and a quarter below 7.662%. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 187 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first — position 1 is the highest value, the way ILO’s own tables read. “=” marks a position shared with another country. International Labour Organization (ILO) ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. The denominator is the youth labour force, not all young people — so a country that keeps most of its teenagers in full-time education can show a high rate off a very small base. Read it beside the NEET share, which counts against the whole age group and includes those who stopped looking.
Showing 25 of 187 countries
Values for 2025. The change column compares 2025 with 2024 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
051991–2025 · 35 reference years
Over time
Each point is one reference year from 1991. Youth unemployment reacts to a downturn faster and harder than the overall rate, and recovers more slowly.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 182 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 182 | 12.830% | 7.662% – 20.244% | 12.830% |
| 2024 | 182 | 12.865% | 7.571% – 20.422% | 12.865% |
| 2023 | 184 | 12.235% | 7.731% – 20.438% | 12.098% |
| 2022 | 186 | 13.075% | 7.619% – 22.085% | 12.942% |
| 2021 | 187 | 14.675% | 9.093% – 24.527% | 14.287% |
| 2020 | 187 | 15.241% | 9.646% – 26.499% | 14.890% |
| 2019 | 187 | 12.336% | 7.719% – 23.114% | 11.755% |
| 2018 | 187 | 12.076% | 7.808% – 24.178% | 12.013% |
| 2017 | 187 | 12.999% | 7.998% – 24.355% | 12.907% |
| 2016 | 187 | 13.854% | 8.275% – 24.630% | 13.135% |
| 2015 | 187 | 14.238% | 8.483% – 25.094% | 13.543% |
| 2014 | 187 | 14.767% | 8.202% – 24.719% | 14.153% |
| 2013 | 187 | 15.558% | 8.201% – 25.379% | 15.277% |
| 2012 | 187 | 15.655% | 8.203% – 25.636% | 15.029% |
| 2011 | 187 | 15.512% | 8.311% – 23.429% | 15.046% |
| 2010 | 187 | 14.700% | 8.487% – 23.434% | 14.597% |
| 2009 | 187 | 15.059% | 8.683% – 23.626% | 14.505% |
| 2008 | 187 | 12.354% | 7.707% – 20.910% | 11.987% |
| 2007 | 187 | 12.016% | 7.562% – 20.786% | 11.632% |
| 2006 | 187 | 13.543% | 7.865% – 21.952% | 13.345% |
| 2005 | 187 | 14.642% | 8.180% – 22.531% | 14.499% |
| 2004 | 187 | 14.531% | 7.893% – 22.945% | 14.108% |
| 2003 | 187 | 14.522% | 8.267% – 24.122% | 14.324% |
| 2002 | 187 | 14.592% | 7.287% – 24.048% | 14.314% |
| 2001 | 187 | 14.181% | 7.600% – 23.556% | 13.625% |
| 2000 | 187 | 13.733% | 6.834% – 22.968% | 13.221% |
| 1999 | 187 | 14.155% | 7.897% – 23.993% | 14.000% |
| 1998 | 187 | 14.458% | 7.497% – 24.069% | 13.991% |
| 1997 | 187 | 14.534% | 7.225% – 23.184% | 14.373% |
| 1996 | 187 | 14.830% | 6.719% – 23.544% | 14.656% |
| 1995 | 187 | 13.850% | 6.595% – 22.838% | 13.538% |
| 1994 | 187 | 13.372% | 6.623% – 23.804% | 13.275% |
| 1993 | 187 | 12.962% | 5.875% – 23.440% | 12.293% |
| 1992 | 187 | 12.105% | 5.500% – 22.487% | 11.871% |
| 1991 | 187 | 11.594% | 4.841% – 21.974% | 11.382% |
062024 → 2025
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions — reference years recalculated in one report, not two separate publications. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Improved most
before → afterWorsened most
before → after
Finland18.680% → 21.479% · 54th → 40th+2.799
Norway12.131% → 13.423% · 96th → 87th+1.292- New Caledonia31.829% → 33.109% · 17th → 15th+1.280
United States Virgin Islands23.049% → 24.196% · 35th → 35th+1.147- Egypt17.291% → 18.293% · 62nd → 58th+1.002
182 countries were measured in both 2024 and 2025.
07Across every edition
Youth unemployment rate in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
81.882%
Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force)
Lowest reading on record
0.295%
Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force)
Biggest improvement between editions
−14.158
45.012% → 30.854%
Biggest decline between editions
+29.934
15.687% → 45.621%
Most improved since first measured
−30.264
54.702% → 24.438%
At the top most often
11 of 35
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About youth unemployment rate
The youth unemployment rate is the share of 15-to-24-year-olds in the labour force who are without work but available for it and looking. It runs two to three times the overall rate almost everywhere and moves differently, which is why it says something the headline figure cannot.
What the number is: Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force).
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Work & Labour, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Moves with
Where youth unemployment rate is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Unemployment RateKeyILO · 182 countries in commonρ 0.91
- Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 114 countries in commonρ 0.50
Moves against
Where youth unemployment rate is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Employment-to-Population RatioKeyILO · 182 countries in commonρ −0.62
- Labour Force Participation RateILO · 182 countries in commonρ −0.45
- Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 98 countries in commonρ −0.43
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 378 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The subject
11Questions
Youth unemployment rate: questions and answers
Which country has the lowest youth unemployment rate?
Niger, at 0.457%, among the 182 countries compared in 2025.
Which country has the highest youth unemployment rate?
Djibouti, at 76.766%, among the 182 countries compared in 2025.
How many countries does the Youth Unemployment Rate cover?
182 in 2025, and 187 at least once across all editions. The number measured varies from 182 to 187 between editions.
What is the world average youth unemployment rate?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 182 compared in 2025, the figure was 12.830%.
Is this International Labour Organization (ILO)’s own ranking?
No. International Labour Organization (ILO) publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.
How often is the Youth Unemployment Rate published?
This site holds 35 reference years, 1991–2025, all recalculated in International Labour Organization (ILO)’s 2026 report on one method — not 35 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From International Labour Organization (ILO), under CC BY 4.0. An ILO modelled estimate, pulled through the World Bank’s indicator API (SL.UEM.1524.ZS). Modelled rather than measured so that one definition applies to every country. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Youth Unemployment Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO)
An ILO modelled estimate, pulled through the World Bank’s indicator API (SL.UEM.1524.ZS). Modelled rather than measured so that one definition applies to every country.
Newest edition
Report year 2025Data year 2025
Cite the source as: International Labour Organization. ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST). Geneva: ILOSTAT.
Licence: CC BY 4.0, checked 2026-09-10.
How this page reads the numbers
- International Labour Organization (ILO) ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
- Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Photographs
The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Niger — File: Jacques Taberlet derivative work: Lkcl it, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Qatar — Haakon S. Krohn derivative work: JamesA, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cambodia — Chris, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Youth unemployment rate by country: Youth Unemployment Rate, data from International Labour Organization (ILO). https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/youth-unemployment